Oil cup



Oct. 4, 1927. 1,644,136

C, E. LINEBARG ER 011'. cur

Filed Feb. 25. 1922 f/Yl/E/YTOI? Char/as f. l/heba gcr Patented Get. 4, 1927.

U i'r s s OIL our.

Application filed February 25, 1922. Serial No. 539,145.

This invention relates to oil cups to be used for lubricating bearings springs, and various other portions of machinery, auto-' mobiles and the like. It has for its object the product on of a suitable oil cup and suitable mechanism to be used in connection with the cup for very effectively applying the oil, and particularly the object is to provide an oil cup which may be very conveniently filled with oil and tightly closed against dustor other objectionable substances and which has mechanism connected therewith adapted to and very conveniently operated for forcing the oil with suitable pressure into the bearings. Other objects of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and the following description thereof.

Of the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of an ordinary type of oil cup; Fig. 2 is a central, vertical section of the same, which embodies the features of my invention; and Fig. 3 is a reduced vertical, central section of a modified form of the cup.

Oil cups indicated by the drawings herewith, in general, are similar to the ordinary forms of oil cups. They are arranged to receive and store a suitable supply of oil in the casing 10 of the cup, the cup being screwed into the hearings or other portions of the mechanism by means of the oil outlet shank 17. In order to produce a suitable pressure on the oil, to force it through the outlet and into the bearings, I provide within the cup a tube 12, which is fixed in any suitable manner in the bore of the shank 17 by means of a lateral tube 16. WVithin the tube 12 is slidably mounted a suitable pin in the nature of a plunger 14, and a suitable opening 15 is formed in the lower end of the tube. The lateral tube 16 opens into the tube 12 and into the bore of the shank 17. By this arrangement, when the plunger 14 is raised, the oil 18 in the cup will pass upwardly through the opening 15 and above the valve 19. The valve is adapted to close the opening 15 by virtue of its own weight and also by virtue of the pressure of the oil which is above it in the tube 12, especially when the plunger 14 is pressed downwardly. Hence, pressing downwardly on the plunger 14 forces some of the oil out through the tube 16 and shank 17 into the bearing.

When the cover is down and the machine is operating normally the pressure of the oil in the cup assisted by the jarring of the machine. particularly automobiles, will constantly tend to work the oil upwardly beyond the valve 19, as the valve will be jarred out otits seat more or less. Hence, there is a cont nuous tendency for the oil to work into the bearing, and whenever desired the passsageways to the bearing can be forced open by operating manually the plunger and oil can thusalso be forced into the bearing. It will be understood that the amount of pressure per square inch, which may be brought to bear upon the oil which is being forced into the hearing, will depend upon the relative sizes of the bores of the tubes 16 and 12; so that a very high pressure may be obtained if desired.

The means which I provide for elevating the plunger comprises ears 7 fixed to the inner side of the cup cover 9, and any suitable form of link mechanism connecting the ears with the upper end of the plunger. In this instance I have shown a link or a bent rod 11. The ends of the link are pivoted to the upper end of the ears 7, and the central portion is pivoted to the plunger end. Evidently, as the lid is raised in the ordinary manner, the plunger will be pulled upwardly by the mechanism, and the elevation of the plunger will depend on the arrangement of the various parts and the distance the lid is elevated. In order to suitably press downwardly on the plunger 14 any resilient means may be provided for such a purpose, but I prefer for the purpose a coil spring 6 which is associated with the hinge of the cover and which is arranged, in an ordinary manner, to force the cover 9 downwardly when it is released. This spring, obviously, in forcing the lid downwardly, will also force the pin downwardly against the oil in the bore of the tube 12 and the shank 17. Thus some oil will be forced into the bearing.

In order to prevent the lid being opened too far I provide lugs 20 projecting downwardly from the cars 21 of the hinge of the lid, the lugs 20 being arranged to strike against the respective bosses 22 which are fixed to the outer surface of the cup. By this arrangement it will be seen that the cover may be raised so far as is desirable in order to insert oil in the cup, but is prevented from raising to such a height that the plunger 14 will be pulled entirely out of the tube 12 or will be forced higher than is desired to properly supply the oil. A pin 23 prevents abnormal displacement of the valve 19.

Fig. 3 shows a modified form of cup wherein the oil outlet 24 is at the bottom of the cup, and the valve 25 is in a lateral tube 26'. The function and operation of this cup is obvious and is substantially the same as with the form of Figs. 1 and 2.

I claim as my invention:

1 An oil cup comprising a casing having an oil outlet, means in said casing for forcing'oil from said casing through said. outlet, said means comprising a T-shaped tube with one end connected with said outlet, a second end opening towards the bot tom of said casing and the third end opening upwardly in said casing, a valve mounted in said second end, a plunger mounted in said third end, said casing having a hinged cover, and means pivotally connecting said cover with said plunger.

2. An oil cup comprising a casing having an oil outlet, means in said casing for forcing oil from said casing through said outlet, said means comprising a T-shaped tube with one end connected with said outlet, a second end opening towards the bottom of said casing and the third end opening upwardly in said casing, a valve mounted in said second end a plunger mounted in said third end, said casing having a hinged cover, means pivotally connecting said cover with said plunger, and resilient means tending to hold said cover closed. 1

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES E. LINEBARGER. 

